Fabio Cannavaro is considered one of the greatest central defenders in the game of football. He currently plays for the Italy national football team (as captain) and at the club level for Real Madrid. He made his professional debut with Napoli in 1993 and since then has moved to Parma (1995-2002), Inter Milan (2002-2004), and Juventus (2004-2005) before joining Real Madrid on July 25, 2006. Cannavaro is considered one of the best defenders of the past decade and is most noted for his advanced technical skill, including his ability to read and predict plays with amazing accuracy.

Cannavaro achieved international fame when he won consecutive European Under-21 Football Championship titles in 1994 and 1996. He also participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and was named to the All Star team during the FIFA World Cup where he received recognition for never receiving a yellow or red card during any of the tournament's matches. After giving up only two goals the entire series, he helped his team win the World Cup and received his 100th cap on July 9, 2006. He has represented Italy in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup, also playing in the Euro 2000 and 2004. Off the field, Fabio Cannavaro is revered throughout Italy as a sex symbol and was voted the "Sexiest Player" during the World Cup tournament in 2006.